


Like Ladybug

by projectml



Series: Project: Scrapbook [1]
Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Gen, project scrapbook
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-06
Updated: 2018-07-06
Packaged: 2019-06-06 02:27:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,636
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15184730
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/projectml/pseuds/projectml
Summary: During the events of Lady Wifi, Chloe finds herself with enough time to think about her actions and her hopes for the future.





	Like Ladybug

**Author's Note:**

> This work is part of Project: Miraculous Ladybug's Project: Scrapbook, 2017.
> 
> Authors  
> JezzicaBell (JessicaJaymeBell) - http://jezzicabell.tumblr.com  
> Megatraven - http://megatraven.tumblr.com
> 
> Beta  
> Panda013 - http://panda013.tumblr.com

Another day at school, another day of having to be the best. If Chloé was being honest, sometimes it could get tiring, being the best. She couldn’t let anyone else think  _ they _ were the best, oh no, that wouldn’t do at all. Sabrina’s attention and presence helped, she supposed. She already knew who the best was and didn’t usually need to be reminded.

The people she did have to remind, though, often came in the form of other students who were too confident for their own good. It really was a lot of work, and it kept her on her toes, but as she stepped out of the limousine, she set right to work.

She handed off her bag into the arms of Sabrina, who was waiting for her, per the norm. “Hey there! Hi! You look totally fab!” she exclaimed, waving her hand and looking at nowhere in particular. The students nearby looked at her in surprise before she continued, “Uh, no, not you. Hey, it’s still a month from Halloween, you know?” She said this matter-of-factly and marched on, not waiting for a reaction.

Without looking back, she knew she’d captured the attention of everyone present. Their gazes lingered after her, just as they ought to, or her name wasn’t Chloé Bourgeois.

“You see, Sabrina? If people won’t realize how great I am on their own, I’ve got to tell them. Afterall, everyone loves me, and it’d be a shame if they forgot it,” she said with a smile.

Even as she smiled, though, she found herself a tad distracted. Sure, maybe her tactics weren’t the best way to get the job done, but they worked all the same. As long as people gave her the attention she deserved, then she was content in what she did. She didn’t need to be a ‘better person’ if she found herself to be the best already. Not to mention that she never really committed to the promise she almost made the day Stone Heart attacked.

_ I’m perfect just the way I am _ , Chloé thought as Sabrina and her separated. They walked to their respective lockers and Chloé opened hers, checking to make sure all her valuables were still there.

Just as she was content with everything inside, she heard a crash sound by the locker next to hers.

“Oh, uhhh… Ladybug! Look over there!” Nino yelled out behind her. Chloé turned to see what the big deal was. Seeing as it was just one extremely nervous looking Nino she rolled her eyes. If there was one thing she knew how to look for it was nervousness. What with Sabrina always around, it was a pretty easy emotion to catch in other people. Plus, it was a super easy way to get people to do what she wanted them to do.

“What kind of lame joke is this?” she asked impatiently tapping her foot.

“Well, uh, that was... Did you see Ladybug yesterday? Isn't she amazing? I wonder who she really is,” Nino responded.

Chloé wasn’t quite sure what he was suspicious of, but he was in her personal space and this was not acceptable. Placing a hand to his face she pushed him away before turning to her locker. Quickly she reached for her pump of antibacterial gel to rid herself of whatever bacteria she had managed to collect .

“Uhh... were you up too late DJ-ing, Nino? Obviously you didn't get your beauty sleep,” she replied scathingly as she rubbed the gel into her skin. There was the sound of a camera to her right and she hears Sabrina gasp. 

“Chloé! Alya’s looking into your locker!” Sabrina called from where she has been talking to Kim about who cares what. 

Chloé glanced at everything visible in her locker before turning to glare at Alya. There was no way this voyeur was going to get away with this. It was simply inexcusable that  _ anyone _ thought they could get away with stealing secrets from her. 

“Th-that’s a lie! I so was not!” Alya retorted while shifting so that her phone was hidden behind her back. 

Chloé was disappointed that the girl had even tried to pretend she hadn’t been caught red handed and was ready to cut her down to size when Kim reached out and snatched the phone out of Alya’s hands. At least someone was being useful.

Chloé smiled victoriously as Kim held the phone out of reach.

“Hey! Give it back!” Alya complained jumping up in a futile attempt to reach her phone. Holding her hand out for the device Chloé was very happy to see Alya back off. It was good to know someone was learning. Nino had abandoned her a while back to watch from a safe distance. 

Working quickly she closed out of the camera app and opened the albums. Opening the newest picture she held the phone up for everyone to see.

“Who's the little liar now?” she asked Alya with disdain. Turning to Kim she put on her nicest smile. “Kim would you be a dear and escort me and this criminal to the principal's office? I don’t want to be left defenseless with such a fiend.”

“Yeah, sure. Whatever.”

Chloé nodded sharply before turning around to close her locker. Still holding Alya’s phone, she easily led the procession of four back through the school corridors. She smiled in satisfaction as any lingering students quickly moved out of her way. 

Arriving promptly at the principal’s door she knocked sharply before pushing the door wide open and entering the room anyway. Mr Damocles looked up at the interruption before moving his paperwork out of the way with a sigh. 

“What is it that I can assist you with, Miss  Bourgeois?” he asked.

“I want justice,” she said sharply. “This fiend,” she continued as she pointed accusingly at Alya, “has been caught doing wrong by me!”

“Why don’t we all have a seat and you can both explain to me what happened,” he said calmly and indicated the two seats in front of his desk.

“You would have me sit next to this perpetrator? Preposterous,” Chlo é exclaimed before turning to look at Sabrina who quickly moved forward to separate the two chairs before standing dutifully behind Chloé’s. Chloé calmly perched herself in the armchair with every ounce of dignity she had.

“Now Chloé, could you please explain to me what it is that you are accusing your classmate of, exactly?”

“Of course sir, I will tell you with all honesty what tragedy has befallen me this afternoon,” she states resolutely as she places Alya’s phone on the desk. **“** She's guilty of invasion of privacy! I have proof!” There was no way so was going to lose this battle. Her pride was on the line.

“What?! Seriously! All I did was take a measly photo!” Alya spluttered from her seat.

“I'm sorry, Chloé. But there's no school policy on invasion of privacy,” the principle interrupted before Chloé could respond. Chloé paused for a second. This wasn’t going to float, not one bit. Time for a new angle.

“Then... then breaking and entering!” she responded angrily.

“I didn’t break into her locker! It was open!” Alya retorted from her seat angrily. 

“And nothing was stolen?” Mr Damocles asked as he looked between the four teens in his office. Chloe pounced on the opportunity. 

“Only my very soul! My locker is my secret garden! He who enters uninvited burglarizes my inner being and steals my life force!” she cried with faux desperation, letting herself curl into a position of grief.

“Right,” the principal said before turning to Alya. “An hour of detention for you, Alya.” Neither girl looked particularly happy at this but Chloé was absolutely livid.

“Are my ears failing me?” Chloe almost growled. “Did I hear you're giving one miserable hour of detention to a... a heinous criminal? Sabrina!” Sabrina quickly stepped forward.

“The school rules clearly state that any student guilty of theft should be suspended for one full week,” she rattled off in a quiet but clear voice. Chloe smirked before settling her features back into neutrality and sitting up once more to face the principal.

“Yes, but she’s hardly stolen anything,” the principal states firmly. There was no way Chloé was going to let Alya get away with this crime because the principal didn’t see what the problem was.

“I’m not sure that my  _ father _ would share your point of view,” Chloé says calmly as she pulls out her own mobile phone already opening her list of speed dial numbers. Watching the principal out of the corner of her eye she smirks internally as the man begins to look uncomfortable.

“Uhhh, well, now, Chloé, let's not bother your father, I mean, the honorable Mayor with a minor locker situation…” he says, on the verge of nervous rambling as Chloe hits the call button. “Ehhh… what I mean is, you're suspended for a week, Alya.”

“What?!” Alya screeches as Chloe hangs up but keeps her phone ready to go. “That is so unfair! I am so gonna protest this on the school blog!” Chloé frowns and raises a single eyebrow in the principal’s direction with crossed arms and when he looks in her direction. She smirks she she sees the look of resignation.

“The school blog is hereby suspended as well,” he counteracts with a low sigh and Chloe finally tucks the phone away in her handbag, feeling rather satisfied.

**“** She's no superhero, she's super-psycho!” Alya screeches angrily before storming out of the room and slamming the door behind her. 

Now that was completely uncalled for. Chloé carefully keeps her face a mask of success and calmly leaves the room with Sabrina on her heels and a reluctant Kim tailing behind. Once safely away from the office Chloé turns and faces Kim.  
  
“Thank you for assistance this afternoon Kim,” she says, not quite as sharply as she would’ve liked. With a barely noticeable nod she turns around and continues on her way back to her locker. She doesn’t quite miss Sabrina’s quiet thanks and Kim’s wide smile as she turns and stalks her way back through the now deserted hallways of the school. 

Stopping in front of her locker she easily opens the door and begins to pull out the things she would need for the afternoon. Her homework had already been passed off to Sabrina after class and her bag of Ladybug essentials were tucked safely under her arm. She would need the distraction today.

“Chloé?” Sabrina asked quietly.

“What is it Sabrina?”

“You.. uhh… you shouldn’t listen to what Alya said,” she says in what’s probably her quietest voice all day. How was it that Sabarina always managed to see right through her? Chloé found it very frustrating. How was she supposed to be the best if people saw her weaknesses? It just wasn’t acceptable. Even if it  _ did _ feel nice to know that at least someone could. 

“Why would I listen to her? All she sprouts is utter nonsense,” Chloé replied. Closing and locking the locker she begins the walk to the car that would be waiting for her at the front of the school. “Did you hear last week how she was talking about the top five indicators that Ladybug and Chat Noir are a couple? I can’t believe anyone believes it. They’re obviously not dating. I should know, I see them way more often than she does.” Chloé kept talking about all the ridiculous things that Alya had spouted over the last few weeks until she was in the car and driving away. 

If she was the only one talking, no one else could ask questions she didn’t want to answer.

* * *

It had been a regular afternoon for Sabrina. Catch the bus home, cook dinner for when her dad got home from work and do homework. She was almost finished with all the homework, too. Maybe she would have enough time to finish reading that novel today.

If only she could get these last few troublesome maths problems out of the way. 

There was a faint ringing as her phone rang from her bag. She pulled it out, believing it to be either Chloe with a fresh complaint about  _ something _ or her dad saying he was going to be late.

Seeing the unknown number, she paused for a second before putting the phone down and just ignoring the call to go back to her homework. A few seconds later the phone stopped buzzing, but not long after that it started up again. 

Who would be trying to call her? Had Dad forgotten to take his phone with him? Had Chloe gotten a new number? Had her mother finally deigned to call? Well probably not that last one but one could always hope. Deciding that she wouldn’t know until she answered the call she waited for it to ring for a third time before answering the call.

As soon as she had answered the phone vibrated harshly and glowed a vibrant pink that was painful to look at. Dropping the mobile on the table with a harsh clatter Sabrina pushed herself away, stumbling as the chair tipped over backwards and she knocked her head harshly on the floor. 

“Third time’s the charm after all!”

Sabrina looked up with blurry vision having lost her glasses in the fall. There was somebody standing on her desk. She had all of a second to react as something pink flashed in front of her eyes and suddenly she couldn’t move anymore.

“Oh would you look at that, I don’t even have to get passed the lock! How fortunate is that! Let’s see… Contacts.... Here we go, Chloé Bourgeois, I’ll take that number. Thanks for taking my call.”

With another flash of light it was quiet again.

Oh, why did Chloé keep attracting all these akuma?

 

* * *

Meanwhile, Chloé had decided to cosplay as her favorite superhero, hoping it would make her feel better. She knew that if she could just be like her, then she would be fine. The only problem that seemed to stand in her way was the fact she couldn't get her yoyo to do anything she wanted. About the third time she wound up tangled by the strings, her phone rang. Trying not to be too frustrated, she tried to wiggle free whilst answering her phone.

"Hello?" she asks before the phone started to glow pink. With a slight yelp, she tossed the phone away from her, watching as an akuma materializes. The whole interaction passed by in a blur for her when Ladybug and Chat Noir appeared.

They managed to lure the akuma away, but they forgot one very important detail.

"WHAT ABOUT ME?" Chloé shouted, still struggling against her bonds. The more she struggled this time, the tighter the string seemed to get, and it didn't look like anyone was coming to her aid anytime soon. Still, that didn't stop her from calling for help. 

When still no one came, she fell silent, knowing it was useless to waste her voice when it fell on no one's ears.  _ This isn't fair _ , she thought,  _ I shouldn't be- be  _ stuck _ here… Ladybug isn't stuck, tied in her own string.  _ She sighed, disappointment in herself overcoming her features.  _ I wish I were more like Ladybug. Alya's right, I'm no hero. But… I want to be, and I want to become more like Ladybug… _

She continued her train of thought, even as ladybugs flew through and released her from her binding. Maybe she wouldn't be able to change right away- it was something she needed to work up to- but she'd get there someday. She was certain that she'd be a hero someday. Even if she weren't the best hero, being one at all would be enough for her.


End file.
